Wizard of High Sorcery
Once a wizard successfully completes (and survives) the Test of High Sorcery, his choices dictate his robe color and which deity of magic grants him power. Requirements Alignment: Any evil(Black Robe), good (White Robe), or neutral(Red Robe). Skills: Spellcraft 7 ranks Feats: Spell focus (any) , any two Item Creation or Metamagic feats. (See Focused Specialization, below) Base Save Bonus: Will +4 Spellcasting: Ability to prepare and cast 2nd-level arcane spells, specialized in a school of magic. Special: Test of High Sorcery: One of the traditions established by the First Conclave was the institution of a Test of High Sorcery, that would test the dedication of any student who wanted to master the art of magic. Failure means death, for wizards judge that it better that an unfocused or undisciplined student should die before achieving a position where his magic could harm innocent people. The threat of death does much to dissuade those who are only peripherally interested in magic. Each Test of High Sorcery is unique, specially designed for the individual taking it. Each test should include at least three problems solved by the wizard's knowledge of magic and its use. Character must solve problems and defeat foes by casting every spell they know at least once. A character should be challenged in some way by someone thought to be a friend or ally. The test must also include a lethal danger of a Challenge Rating equal to the wizard's own level. Those taking the test can bring their companions with them, but the challenges will be scaled upward to compensate for their presence. No one who comes along is guaranteed to return alive. Focused Specialization: Certain schools of magic on Elbanost are the near-exclusive provinces of one of the order wizards. A wizard who enters any order may choose be specialized in one of two schools favored by that order. Hit Die: d4 Skill points: 2 + Int Class Features Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Wizards of High Sorcery gain no additional proficiency with any weapons or armor. Like wizards and sorcerers, Wizards of High Sorcery suffer a chance of arcane spell failure if they attempt to cast spells with material components while wearing armor. Spells per Day: When a Wizard of High Sorcery level is gained, the character gains new spells per day as if he had gained a level in an arcane spell casting class he belonged to before adding the prestige class. He does not, however, gain any other benefits a character of that class would have gained (Bonus metamagic or item creation feats, hit points beyond those he receives from the prestige class, and so on), expect for increased effective level of spellcasting. If a character had more then one arcane spellcasting class before becoming a Wizard of High Sorcery, he must decide to which class he adds the new level for the purposes of determining spells per day. Enhanced Specialization: Upon passing the Test of High Sorcery, a wizard increases his devotion to his chosen school of specialization. At 1st level, a Wizard of High Sorcery casts all spells from that school at +1 caster level. In addition, he gains a +1 bonus on saving throws against spells from his specialist school and spell-like abilities (but not supernatural abilities) that duplicate such spells. In exchange for this enhanced focus on one school, the wizard must give up one additional school of magic, chosen from among the schools that the other two orders of High Sorcery specialize in (see Focused Specialization, above). He can never again learn spell from that school. He cannot choose a prohibited school that he already chose as a 1st-level wizard. He can still use the prohibited spells he knew prior to becoming a Wizard of High Sorcery, including using items that are activated by spell completion or spell trigger. For example, Rikar is a wizard of the Red Robes who specializes in the school of Illusion. His prohibited schools are Necromancy and Enchantment. When he passes his test, he must choose one additional school, and he has only one option: Abjuration. (He must choose all his barred schools from among the schools favored by the order of the White and Black robes, and no wizard can choose divination as a prohibited school.) Item of Power: Once a prospective Wizard of High Sorcery successfully completes his test, his order gives him a permanent magic item. The order does not tell the newly robed Wizard of High Sorcery what powers the item possesses: discovering them himself is viewed as a means of refining his focus. Tower Resources: A Wizard of High Sorcery gains full admission to the Towers of High Sorcery, with resources available for spell research and the creation of magical items. Access to Libraries: A wizard who has passed the Test of High Sorcery and declared allegiance to the Orders of magic gains access to the libraries within the tower. These libraries contain the spellbooks of countless wizards throughout history, stretching back to the First Age. With access to these libraries, it is easier for wizards to create new spells or to add new spells to their spellbooks. When researching or scribing a spell while using the tower's libraries, the time requirement for replacing or copying spells is halved ( a wizard can scribe two spells per day), while the cost creating new spells is three-quarters (750 gp per week of research). Access to Laboratories: With access to the libraries also comes access to the laboratories in the Tower of High Sorcery. These laboratories are available for any Wizard of High Sorcery to use for creating magic items, and come complete with commonly used components (rare and exotic components may gave to be bartered for, or independently gained through other channels). A wizard using these laboratories can almost certainly complete creation of an item without interruption. Limited Benefits: if the Towers of High Sorcery become inaccessible, these benefits are limited unless wizards can find mentors willing to share their spellbooks, or perhaps even conclaves of wizards with their own laboratories. Arcane Research: A Wizard of High Sorcery has access to the secrets and knowledge of the Conclave and the Towers of High Sorcery. Beginning at 2nd level, the character gains a competence bonus on Spellcraft and Knowledge (arcana) checks. In addition, each level that grants a bonus in arcane research also allows the Wizard of High Sorcery to add a bonus spell to his spellbook (in addition to the spell normally gained through level advancement). Order Secret (Su): At 3rd level, and again at 5th, 7th, 9th and 10th level, a Wizard of High Sorcery learns one of the secrets of his order. The Secrets of the three orders are described in the following sections. Secrets of the Black Robes The following are secrets of the Order of the Black Robes. Each time an evil-aligned Wizard of High Sorcery gains an order secret, she may choose from one of the following. The character may not choose the same secret twice. Magic of Betrayal: Once per day for every two class levels she possesses, a Black Robe who knows this secret may Empower or Extend a Necromancy spell, as though she had applied the appropriate metamagic eat to the spell (although the spell does not use a higher-level slot). When she does so, a backlash of negative energy deals 2d6 points of damage to a single living ally withing 30 feet, chosen by the wizard (she may not choose an undead ally, who would benefit from the negative energy). The ally is allowed a Will save (Dc 10 + one-half the wizards caste level + the wizard's Intelligence modifier) for half damage. Magic of Darkness: Once per day for every two class levels she posses, a Black Robe who knows this secret can imbue a damaging spell with negative energy. Half of the damage dealt by such a spell is negative energy damage, and is therefore not subject to being reduced by protection from energy or similar magic (although death ward is effective). The remainder of the damage is dealt as normal for the spell. Undead are healed by negative energy, so an undead creature simply takes no damage from a spell modified in this way. (Consider that the healing takes place first, even granting the undead creature temporary hit points above its maximum if necessary, and then the damage affects the creature, leaving it back where it started.) Magic of Fear: A Black Robe who knows this secret can make her spells quite intimidating. As a full-round action, the wizard can cast a damaging spell with a normal casting time of one standard action and simultaneously attempt to demoralize an opponent within 30 feet by making an Intimidate check. The wizard receives a circumstance bonus on the Intimidate check equal to the level of the spell she casts. As per the normal use of Intimidate, demoralized opponents are shaken for 1 round. Magic of hunger: A Black Robe who knows this secret may draw even further upon her own resources to increase the scope of her magic, Each day, she may prepare one extra spell of any level she can cast at the cost of 1 point of temporary constitution damage per spell level. This ability damage heals normally but cannot be restored magically. Magic of Pain: Once per day for every two class levels she possesses, a Black Robe who knows this secret may cast a damaging spell to inflict pain beyond the damage it deals. Any creature damaged by such a spell must make a successful Fortitude save (Dc 10 + spell level + wizards Con modifier) or suffer a -2 penalty on attack rolls, skill checks, and ability checks for 1 round due to the lingering pain of the spell. As a price for this wracking pain, the Black Robe herself takes 1d6 points of damage when the spell takes effect. Secrets of the Red Robes The following are secrets of the Order of the Red Robes. Each time an neutral-aligned Wizard of High Sorcery gains an order secret, she may choose from one of the following. The character may not choose the same secret twice. Magic of Change: Once per day for every two class levels he possess, a wizard who knows this secret may Enlarge or Extend a Transmutation spell he can cast as though he had applied the appropriate metamagic feat to the spell (although the spell does not use a higher-level slot). Magic of Deception: Once per day for every two class levels he possess, a wizard who knows this secret may Enlarge or Extend a Illusion spell he can cast as though he had applied the appropriate metamagic feat to the spell (although the spell does not use a higher-level slot). Magic of Independence: A Red Robe who knows this secret casts spells that are harder to dispel. When another spellcaster makes a dispel check to dispel one of the Red Roe's spells (including using dispel magic to counterspell a spell the Red Robe is casting), the DC is 15+ the Red Robe's caster level. Magic of Mystery: A Red Robe who knows this secret casts spells that are harder to detect and identify. When another spellcaster employs a divination spell, spell-like ability, or magic item, such as a detect magic spell, that may detect the magic aura of one of the Red Robe's spells, the other caster must make a level check (DC 11+ the Red Robe's caster level) to successfully detect the spell. Similarly, a spellcaster attempting to use a divination such as see invisibility to reveal the effects of one of the Red Robe's spells must make a level check to reveal the spell's effects. Any given caster can check only once for each divination spell used, no matter how many of the Red Robe's spell effects may be operating in an area. In addition when another spellcaster attempts to identify the spell a Red Robe is casting (for instance , countersepll it), the DC of the required Spellcraft check is increased by +1 for every 2 class levels the Red Robe has attained. Pure Magic: Once per day for every two class levels he possesses, a Red Robe who knows this secret can imbue a damaging spell with pure arcane energy. Half of the damage dealt by such a spell comes from this arcane energy, and is therefore no subject to being reduced by protection from energy or similar magic. The remainder of the damage dealt is as normal for the spell. Secrets of the White Robes The following are secrets of the Order of the White Robes. Each time a good-aligned Wizard or High Sorcery gains an order secret, he may choose from one of the following. The character may not choose the same secret twice. Magic of Defense: Once per day for every two class levels he possesses, a wizard who knows this secret may Empower or Extend an Abjuration spell he casts as though he had applied the appropriate metamagic feat to the spell (although the spell does not use a higher-level slot). Magic of Radiance: Once per day for every two class levels he possesses, a White Robe who knows this secret can imbue a damaging spell with radiant energy. Half of the damage dealt by such a spell becomes radiant energy, and is therefore not subject to being reduced by protection from energy or similar magic. The remainder of the damage is dealt is as normal for the spell. Against undead, a spell modified in this way deals half again as much as normal (double the radiant energy damage). Radiant spells give off as much light as a light spell of equivalent caster level as a side effect, and this light lingers in the area for 1 round after the end of the spell's duration (1 round for an instantaneous spell). Magic of Resistance: This secret allows a White Robe to more easily counter or dispel the magic cast by others. The wizard gains the benefit of the Improved Counterspell feat (if he does not already possess it) and gains a competence bonus on dispel checks equal to +1 per 2 class levels he possesses. Magic of Sustenance: This secret allows as White Robe to cast spells even under difficult circumstances. The wizard gains a competence bonus equal to +1 per 2 class levels on all Concentration checks made to cast spells despite damage, distraction, motion, entanglement or grappling, or weather conditions. This bonus applies to all Concentrations checks for spellcasting, concentrating on an active spell, or directing a spell, except for casting defensively when threatened by an opponent. Magic of Truth: Once per day for every two class levels he possess, a wizard who knows this secret may Enlarge or Extend a Divination spell he casts as though he had applied the appropriate metamagic feat to the spell (although the spell does not use a higher-level slot). Ex-Wizards of High Sorcery A Wizards of High Sorcery who forswears his vows or does not answer a summons from the Conclave becomes a renegade. He no longer gains any of the benefits (nor suffers any of the restrictions) of being a Wizards of High Sorcery. He does not lose any bonus feats he may have gained by loses the benefits of his order, forfeits access to the libraries and laboratories. He is no longer bound by the laws of High Sorcery and can wear armor, use weapons, and the like. A Wizards of High Sorcery who advances wizard levels instead of prestige class levels is not automatically considered a renegade (indeed, most Wizards of High Sorcery adopt this route by the time they reach high levels), only those who break their vows. Renegade wizards are considered dangerous by the Conclave. The Wizards of High Sorcery use their resources and manpower to track down and neutralize renegade wizards. How a renegade is dealt with varies, depending on the pursuing order of magic. (The conclave also treats sorcerers and others of "wild" magic as renegades due to their lack of training and lack of control.) Switching Allegiance (Changing Robes) A Wizards of High Sorcery who changes alignment must either atone for his actions (as with the atonement spell) or declare allegiance to his new order of magic. once the allegiance is declared, the wizard instantly assumes the abilities of a mage of the appropriate robes. He must change his school specialization to one of the schools favored by his new order, and declare new prohibited schools from among the schools favored by the other two orders, possibly including his prior school of specialization. He can no longer cast any spells he might know from the schools that now prohibited to him, and does not automatically gain the knowledge of any new spells in schools that were formerly prohibited to him. Most wizards who change orders put great effort and expense into acquiring new spells suited to their new specialization through every means possible-purchasing scrolls, finding spell-books, and even theft. A Wizard of High Sorcery who changes orders retains any bonus feats and order secrets learned, but may not learn any new secrets from his previous order. With each wizard of High Sorcery level he advances after he changes order, he may exchange one secret from his previous order for one secret from his new order, until he has replaced all his old secrets. In addition, there is a penalty for switching allegiances. Until he gains a new level, he sufferers a -20% XP penalty. This penalty stacks with identical penalty for a multiclass character with uneven levels. Advancement Class skills